Taking Charge
by MidnightWriterPhilosopher
Summary: Fed up with how is disastrous first and second year at Hogwarts. Harry decides to take charge of his life and be more proactive in shaping his future. A future that may not involve the Wizarding World. Rated T for now, but that may change later. No set pairings. Some character bashing.


Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Harry Potter universe.

Author's Note: My take on a more proactive Harry Potter. Starts between Harry's 2nd and 3rd year at Hogwarts.

Author's Note # 2: Year 3 at Hogwarts will be short with minor changes. I merely want to introduce the idea and set up the story.

Summary: Finally, fed up with how is disastrous first and second year at Hogwarts. Harry decides to take charge of his life and be more proactive in shaping his future. A future that may not involve the Wizarding World.

Author's Key:

"Speech"

 _*"Speech in Language's other than English" *_

 _^Thoughts^_

 _^ "Telepathy" ^_

\+ "Verbal Magic being Cast" +

 _\+ Non-verbal Magic being cast +_

 _Canon Book/Movie Dialogue_

…Flashbacks/Flash-forwards…

(Scene Changes)

Taking Charge

Chapter 1

No. 4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging, Surrey

Harry lay awake in what had once been his cousin Dudley's spare bedroom where he had hastily retreated to after arriving back from his school for the Summer holiday. The events of his last year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry playing over and over in his mind. Nearly dying due to having his arm impaled on a Basilisk tooth after defeating said massive serpent with only a sword to retrieve his best friend's sister from the legendary Chamber of Secrets and confronting a weird teenage specter of the man that had killed his parents and many others had been a harsh wake up call. The year before hadn't been much better with dealing with protecting the Sorcerer's stone from Professor Quirrell who acted as host wraith of the Dark Lord on the back of his head.

"Right!" He said with a sigh. "I need to do something if I want to survive that barmy world."

Harry threw the old covers off him. "I need a plan." He grabbed his glass from the desk next to his bed as he sat in the rickety chair and turned on the desk lamp.

He rummaged through the desk drawers until he found an old pad of paper and a pencil. Harry began to write a catalogue is experiences in the Wizarding World starting with the arrival of his Hogwarts letters. Next, he wrote down everything he learned about Voldemort's real identity from Voldemort's younger self. Considering everything that has happened Harry can no longer by the story that Voldemort was gone for good. If anything, the last two years had more than proved that he wasn't truly gone besides Hagrid had told him that no body was found the night his parents were killed.

 _^ Don't the Muggle authorities believe it's hard to prove someone's dead without a body? ^_ Harry thought remembering this fact from one of the police shows that Dudley watched. _^ Yes, best to prepare for his possible return as I'm obviously high up on his list of targets. But how? ^_ Harry sighed.

 _^ Taking school more seriously would be a good start. ^_ He hadn't really been trying his hardest to learn everything he could about magics. Living with the Dursley's had taught him to never ask questions and that doing better than Dudley in school was the fastest way to being punished by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. Harry had resolved to do better at Hogwarts, but then he had met Ron and Hermione. They were his first real friends, but Ron could careless about his grades and Hermione cared to much about being the best in class. He didn't won't to upset either of them, so he held himself back. This behavior obviously needs to be stopped and if they were really his friends then they would understand.

 _^ I could write to Professor McGonagall about changing my schedule so that I can take Arithmancy instead of Divinations and I'll add Ancient Runes to my class schedule. After all, McGonagall said that I could take more than two electives. ^_ Harry was happy with his plan so far, but he had to wonder if staying in the Wizarding world was really what he wanted to do.

 _^ Yes, defiantly leave or at least know how to survive in the Muggle world if I'm going to have a crazed Dark Lord or his followers after me all the time. ^_ He was happy with this back up plan except for one problem. Money! Or more specifically, how to make money. Sure, he had his trust vault, but surely that could only go so far. No, he would need to have a job and to get a job he needed to finish his Muggle education.

Next on his list was the need to by new clothes, his school supplies and some books that could help teach him more about the Wizarding world, but to buy the needed items he would need to get to Gringotts.

"But how? Let me think… Dobby!" He said snapping his fingers in excitement.

"The Great Harry Potter called for Dobby?" The small elf said after popping into Harry's room.

Harry was startled by the elf's sudden appearance. "Um…yes Dobby I was wondering could you help me get to Gringotts tomorrow? I'd be willing to pay you for your time."

The little elf began to tear up. "The Great Harry Potter wants to hire Dobby. Dobby is so very grateful. He would be most honored to work for such a kind Wizard."

"Well…um I was just going to hire you for the day," Harry said thinking about the possibilities of having a house-elf around. "But if you would like to work for me on a regular basis than that can be arranged."

"Oh, yes, Mr. Harry Potter sir. Dobby would very much like to work for such an amazing Wizard." The happy elf danced from one foot to the other.

"Alright. How about one Galleon a day for an eight-hour work day and Sunday and Saturday off." Harry suggested except Dobby was shaking his head and crying.

"No – No that to much. Dobby only ask for one Galleon and one day off a month and he work eighteen hours." Dobby said, but Harry wasn't happy with this idea knowing what it was like to be taken advantage of, so he countered.

"Dobby if your going to work for me than I'm going to pay you one Galleon a week, plus you can work for twelve hours and you'll take Sunday off." Harry was unaware that he was projecting his magic into his voice and letting his aura flare, but Dobby could sense the vast magical potential.

"Dobby will except the Great Harry Potter's kind offer." Dobby said with a bow.

Harry stuck out his hand. "Great than we can shake on it."

"You would wish to shake hands with Dobby? Like Wizarding equals?" Dobby began to tear up.

"Of course, Dobby. You may work for me now, but I'd like us to be friends too." Dobby began to cry before he grabbed Harry's hand shaking vigorously as a brief flash of magical light flashed from their joined hands.

"Harry Potter is the greatest kindest Wizard ever. Dobby will be the house-elf ever to Harry Potter."

"Um... Dobby, what was that light?"

"That was magic recognizing are agreement Harry Potter. It is magic's way of saying it approves."

"Ok. It's getting late and tomorrows a busy day so let's get some sleep." Harry had managed to get Dobby to let go of his hand.

Harry set about helping set up a temporary bed for Dobby much to the house-elf's insistence that Harry needn't bother. The young Wizard didn't pay the elf any attention though. Soon the two were settled in bed with Harry yawning loudly as he felt sleep over take him quickly. His last thought was how tomorrow was going to change everything.

Author's end of Chapter Note: I know the chapter was short. I just wanted to set the story up.


End file.
